Register today!
Are you a teen or young adult wondering if having a childhood rheumatic disease means you should modify your gym routine and how? Or maybe you’re a parent whose teen is getting ready to start working out and looking for proper techniques?
Exercise has many benefits associated with overall rheumatic disease management (including for your mental health), and in October, we will be hosting a special session focused on how to do it safely!
No workout experience necessary. Whether you’re looking for encouragement to just get started or have questions about supplements and overall JA impacts, managing pain, and what the latest research on ‘juvenile arthritis and exercise’ is revealing, our ‘How to Gym With JA and Other Rheumatic Diseases’ webinar is here to connect you with the information you need to workout confidently.
Join our experts, Dr. Kristin Houghton, Pediatric Rheumatologist, alongside Dr. Astrid DeSouza, Pediatric Exercise Physiologist and Dr. Lori Tucker, Pediatric Rheumatologist from BC Children’s Hospital, as they share trusted information, helpful tips, and answer questions during our live Q+A.
Session Speakers:
Dr. Kristin Houghton | Pediatric Rheumatologist and Sports Medicine Specialist, BC Children’s Hospital
Kristin is a pediatric rheumatologist and sports medicine specialist at BC Children’s Hospital in Vancouver. She is actively involved in education and research. She is Vice Chair of the Rheumatology Subspecialty Committee and serves on the Royal College exam board.
Her research interests include physical activity and exercise in children with chronic illness. She is involved in advocacy and health promotion and served two terms on the Canadian Pediatric Society’s Healthy Active Living and Sports Medicine committee.
Kristin enjoys working with athletes and has volunteered as team doctor for the Canadian National and Under-20 women’s soccer teams and volunteer physician at the 2010 Paralympics. Currently she coaches her 12 year old son’s soccer team.
Astrid De Souza | ACSM Clinical Exercise Physiologist, BC Children’s Hospital
Astrid De Souza is an ACSM Clinical Exercise Physiologist who graduated from the University of British Columbia with a Master of Science degree in Exercise Physiology. She has worked in the Children’s Heart Centre at BC Children’s Hospital since 2006 and has also worked in the Healthy Heart Program at St. Paul’s from 2007-2016.
She is involved in exercise testing, exercise prescription and rehabilitation in
children with chronic diseases. She continues to work on innovative ways to provide rehabilitation services to children, largely focused on technology such as text messaging, virtual platforms and virtual
reality. Astrid is passionate about teaching patients and their families about the benefits of physical activity and how it can be used as tool to improve outcomes and quality of life.
She continues to work to translate her knowledge to patients, the allied health team and the physicians who are all working towards the common goal of advancing the care for children with chronic diseases.
Dr. Lori Tucker | Pediatric Rheumatologist, BC Children’s Hospital
Dr. Lori Tucker is a Clinical Professor in Pediatrics, and Division Head, Division of Pediatric Rheumatology, BC Children’s Hospital and University of British Columbia. Her research focuses on physical activity in children and youth with JIA, development of shared decision-making in pediatric rheumatology care, and autoinflammatory diseases in children.
She is one of the founding members of the Canadian Alliance of Pediatric Rheumatology Investigators. In addition, she is a passionate advocate for kids with rheumatic diseases and their families, provincially and nationally and as a member of the Cassie + Friends Board
Ryan Dekker | Youth Speaker, BC
Ryan was diagnosed with JA at age 14, and faced symptoms as early as age 11. Though this diagnosis was quite a shock for someone who had grown up playing sports and staying active, he was determined to return to working out and the football field.
After high school and some time playing junior football in the CJFL, Ryan pursued a career in finance and remains focused on his physical health. Away from the office, he continues to challenge himself in half marathons with team Cassie and Friends and he most recently completed the Whistler Gran Fondo.
